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Anorak News | iPod Oblivion Is The Media Scare Story Of The Day

iPod Oblivion Is The Media Scare Story Of The Day

by | 6th, August 2010

TODAY’S media scare story comes via the AA, whose release is picked up Sky News and turned into the warning:

Motorists who use their iPod when driving could be moving towards “iPod oblivion”, according to the AA.

And it gets worse:

And it is not just drivers who are at risk – pedestrians and joggers are also causing concern by getting into an zombie-like state while using mobiles or iPods on the move.

So. There has been a spate of accidents linked to the iPod, then?

The AA says it has come across drivers who have broken down on motorways and then dangerously pace up and down on the hard shoulder while using a mobile phone.

And they have beee hit by cars? No.

It also cites cases of motorists so plugged in to the music in their cars that they lose all concentration.

It’s the music that’s the problem, then, not the iPod. Which explains why all AA vehicles have their radios and CD players removed, or, er, not.

As far as pedestrians are concerned, the AA says it has seen a big rise in those who are more focused on their phones than on the hazards of the road.

Have then done a survey of pedestrian focus – a focus focus group? And walkers beware:

Some even check their emails are they move between passing cars.
Pedestrian carelessness could be the cause of 17 collisions a day,

Well, so says the AA’s insurance branch.

Says the insurance company in a press release which has no facts and is based on the science of guessology.

Says AA president Edmund King:

“We can’t stop the march of technology…”

Sure that technology that gives us cars, parking sensors, satnav and in-car radios…

“…but we need to halt the iPod pedestrian, cycle and driver zombies.”

Can they be stopped?

“When on the move, our brains have much to take in and using technological gadgets means that our brains can’t always concentrate on so many things at once. This is when we walk into traffic, don’t hear the truck, or drive cocooned from the outside world.”

Or when we’re talking to the media about the wonders of spreading fear and promoting insurance and risk and not paying a blind bit of notice to the facts…



Posted: 6th, August 2010 | In: Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink